What makes someone Canadian?

That question led over 300 Calgary students to reflect on their identity as Canadians. They even contributed their identity to an exhibit at Millarville's Leighton Art Centre.

The Calgary Animated Objects Society or CAOS teamed up with one of the most diverse schools in Calgary to complete their project. Xtine Cook the Artistic Director for CAOS says originally the project started out as a birthday celebration exhibit.

"It was started as an idea to celebrate Canada's 150th Birthday. We approached Sunalta School in Calgary about doing this with their kids." Cook says "Over 310 kids from grades K-6 have created their own masks on their identity as a Canadian."

After a couple of weeks of reflection, research and planning the kids were ready to start, and with direction, started to mould their masks out of plaster and bandages.

Cook says it was a lot of fun working with the students.

CAOS even supplied an escape if the students encountered brain freezes.

"I love working with kids because they'll never say 'oh I'm not creative, oh I'm not an artist, or I can't do that'. Even when they're challenged, they just kind of get stuck, but they don't think they can't do it and don't shut down their imaginations." Cook adds laughingly "We had all of this foam rubber that we had donated from Labbe Bedding in Calgary so we just had this pile of foam, and if they didn't know what to do they could take a break go roll around in the foam until they got an idea and then come back."

Canada is about as diverse and multicultural as they come; the masks the student's made reflect exactly that.

Cook says the kids identities went from pop-culture to family oriented.

"Canada is such an inclusive country that, in some ways, the theme of 'My Identity of a Canadian' is extremely broad, it could fit anything. You'll see in the masks and when you read about them, it does encompass everything from the history of their grandmother to Minecraft."

The Face Off exhibit runs from Saturday, March 11th through to April 29th at the Leighton Art Centre.

The opening reception takes place from 2-4 P.M.